Big Shakeout Festival 2013A weekend of adventure and entertainment in a festival environment held on 27th-29th September at Bakewell in the Peak District

The Big Shakeout is designed to bring together many people with a love for the outdoors. Whether you’ve been doing it for years or are just looking to start out, the festival has something for everyone. A Big Shakeout pass gives you 2 nights of camping in the beautiful Thornbridge grounds, a host of free on-site activities, a Saturday night meal and plenty of evening entertainment - all for just £45 per adult and £20 per child.

Is this the sort of weekend that appeals to you or have you been before?

Hiya, we have just received this from Big Shakeout 2013 - fusion of adventure and entertainment

Outdoor equipment specialist Alpkit and their event partner, activity provider Thornbridge Outdoors, declared this years sell out Big Shakeout weekend a resounding success. The sun arrived in good form to welcome 500 ‘Shakers’ onto the Peak District site, all brimming with excitement to see what was in store. With a strong mix of entertainment, fun and adventure the weekend provided a relaxed environment in which to learn new skills, get inspired and make new friends.

“Perhaps the best family and outdoor festival" Dom Bush, adventure film maker.

Maintaining strong roots with the companies ethos, festival guests were personally welcomed by Alpkit staff and volunteer shaker-makers, while Alpkit founders served at the bar, stood by the gate and cleaned toilets... it’s an event as raw and as genuinely Alpkit as you will find.

But in its third year it is also refined and capable of pulling in some of the most interesting names in their field. Alpkit chose people they like and admire, so setting the tone for the weekend and kicking things off was adventurer Alastair Humphreys. Following this up on the Saturday night in the packed SteepEdge cafe was former round the world bike record holder Vin Cox, his guests adventurer and artist Emily Penn, Joe Beaumont and the legend that is Ron Fawcett was a surprise to many.

The Big Shakeout has always been an intimate event allowing festival goers to enjoy a host of live music and lectures split across a number of small venues. The Blue Monkey Bar hosted the Saturday Shakeout meal along with a packed and distinctly blues music set. Outside at the Fire Stage there was a more intimate setting for live music next to the roaring fire, which kept onlookers warm as the cold evening drew in. Later on musicians met there for an improvised jam, an ephemeral experience for anyone lucky enough to have been present.

With the growing number of people attending the Big Shakeout each year, Alpkit opened a second bar in the Yurt. From its day use of hosting yoga sessions it switched to an intimate evening venue for leading winter climber Dave Garry, alpinist Paul Swail and swashbuckling adventurer Dave Cornthwaite to recount tales of daring deeds to an audience lounging on bean bags and supplied by the Sprits Bar manned by Alpkit staff.

During the day courses were led by folk like International rock climber Gaz Parry and expedition paddler Chris Eastabrook, some of the best coaches in their fields. But it is far from an elitist environment, the majority of courses on offer were introductory activities run by festival partner Thornbridge Outdoors covering climbing, caving, mountain biking, bushcraft, navigation. These were backed up by a solid choice of on-site activities running continuously during the day for families and young adventurers, from woodland crafts to skyropes.

Col Stocker from Alpkit “Looking forward to Big Shakeout 2014 both ourselves and our partners are extremely excited about the future of the event. We will not be sitting back on this years success, but look at improvements and added features to give an even better experience next year. We will not be changing our ethos though and so will of course be working very hard to maintain that friendly, relaxed vibe that so many people like about this weekend”

Quote: Originally posted by kazmcl on 09/9/2013Hope this isn't a silly question, but is there elec hook ups? karen

Not that I'm aware of .what would you need EHU for ? I don't think you'd need heating or cooking as there so much going on and food stalls . I think it maybe sold out now though .

a cpap machine rob or char

The only thing I would recommend is ask Thornbridge outdoor 01629 640491 where it's held they maybe able to work away round it . There is no EHU but if the need is medical I'm sure if it's possible they'd try to arrange something .